Diary of Highlights

1st to 3rd
It was a dry and settled start to the month with high pressure dominating. The 1st through to the 4th was dry with the best of the sunshine over the south and west, but cooler and cloudy at times in the east. Temperatures ranging from 15 °C in the west to 8 °C on the east coast. Warmer on the 4th, with temperatures reaching 21.0 °C at Aboyne after an overnight temperature of -1.8 °C. It was another sunny dry in the south and east on the 5th, with the temperature reaching 19 °C at Leuchars. Shetland was much colder with a maximum temperature of 5.6 °C at Baltasound.

6th to 9th
More cloud around on the 6th, but still mainly dry, although cold with rain and sleet over the Northern Isles. Rain continued across the far North on the 7th with sleet or wet snow, at times across Shetland. Elsewhere, after a chilly start another bright day with 17 °C being recorded at Glenlivet. Cloudy with rain across the North and West on the 8th and 9th but somewhat brighter elsewhere.

10th - 15th
Patchy rain/drizzle across the northwest on the 10th and 11th with brighter conditions with sunny spells in the south and east, with temperatures of around 18 °C across Aberdeenshire. The 12th and 13th were dry everywhere with long spells of sunshine, but haar affected the east coast and Northern Isles on 13th. Top temperature of 21 °C at Kinloss but only 8 °C at Leuchars. Similar on the 14th and 15th with many places recording 21 °C, Aboyne had 23 °C on 14th and Fyvie Castle 24 °C on 15th.

16th to 18th
Showers became more widespread in the northwest on the 16th with Loch Glascarnoch recording 9.4 mm of rain, though there was still plenty of sunshine to be found. A showery trough spread southwards on the 17th with sunny or clear spells following. Rain affected the north on the 18th, but dry and bright elsewhere. Gales developed across the Northern Isles, with Kirkwall recording a gust of 48 knots.

19th to 21st
A weakening cold front pushed south on the 19th, with wintry showers developing in the northeast. The maximum temperature at Baltasound was only 3.8 °C. Frosty across the north at first on the 20th, with a temperature of -3.7 °C recorded at Altnaharra. Wintry showers across Shetland until mid-morning, otherwise a generally cloudy day with patchy light rain. The 21st saw rain, especially across northern parts, heaviest in northwest, however the south was mainly dry through much of the day.

22nd to 23rd
The 22nd became drier from the west with sunny spells across eastern parts, and temperatures reaching 18.9 °C at Lossiemouth. However showers developed in the west and merged to give a longer spells of rain through the afternoon across Lochaber. An exceptionally mild night followed with Wick, Leuchars and Eskdalemuir equalling or breaking long term 24 hour minimum temperature records. A bright start on the 23rd, but rain across the west spread north-eastwards reaching Shetland by the evening. 24 hour minimum temperature records set on the 23rd lasted only 24 hours in many places, with Edinburgh Gogarbank falling no lower than 13.1 °C.

24th to 25th
Mixed fortunes on the 24th with many south-western areas staying cloudy with showers, West Freugh reaching 12.2 °C. Some fine sunny spells developed in parts of the north and east, Aboyne warmest at 19.8 °C though the warmth set off some heavy thundery showers in Moray. Eskdalemuir surpassed their 24 hour minimum temperature record for April again on 24/25th, with the temperature falling no lower than 10.4 °C. A wetter night though, with the rain slowly clearing to sunshine and showers on the 25th, though the Western Isles stayed dull and wet. Warm in most places, with Altnaharra reaching a temperature of 18.8 °C.

26th to 30th
The 26th through to the 30th was dry with long periods of unbroken sunshine, although mist and low cloud often affected areas near the east coast. Cool along the east coast too, with a maximum temperature of 10 °C in Aberdeen on 29th. Temperatures up to 21 °C in sunshine further west.